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Duke   University   Libraries 

A  proclamation 
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HEAD  QUARTERS,  DEMOPOLIS,  APRIL  13th,  1864. 

A.   PROCLAMATION. 

TO   ALL   SOLDIERS   IN   THIS   DEPARTMENT  ABSENT   FROM    THEIR  COMMANDS 
WITHOUT  LEAVE. 

o 

The  Lieut.  General  Commanding  has  had  ted  to  him  a  petition  signed  by  the  Sen 

and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  Legislator*  ofM  ssise  p.pj  s  tting  forth  that  a  large  number  of 
the  men  now  absont  from  their  comraai:  Is  in  this  I>  \  ho  iu  a  moment  of  weakness  were 

imluced  to  abandon  their  duty  and  deserl  their  colours,  ha1  rly  to  regret  their 

want  of  fidelity  and  .are  anxious  to  return. 

They  set  forth  also  that  many  of  these  men  by  reason  "f  tht  ice  of  Mail  facilities  never 

saw  the  act  oi  pardon  offered  by  his  Excellency  thi  Pr»  v  would  now  gladly  return 

but  for  fear  of  the  punishment  due  their  ofl  that  such  an  offer  of  pardon  be  again 

tendered  them. 

The  Lieut.  General  Commanding  is  free  to  say,  that  the  ■  sperience  of  the  past  in  this  and 

othet  armies  of  the  Confederacj  is  aol  favourable  to  the  expedi< y  of  the  measure  propoe 

He  is  nevertheless  willing,  in  deferenci   to  the  wishes  of  so  large  a  body  of  influential  citizens,  to 
add  one  more  effort  to  the  lial  of.  those  already  guided  men  and  restore 

them  to  the  service  of  their  country. 

The  Lieut.  Qeneral  Commanding  tl  by  this  Proclamation  offers  pardon  to  all  soldi 

of  this  Department  absent  from  their  commands  (including  exchanged  and  paroled  prie 
who  sh;dl  within  ten  days  after  having  kowledge  of  this  Proclamation  report  for  duty  to  their  i 
|)ective_ commands,  or  to  the  Commanding  Officer  of  th<  Postal  Meridian  ppil    Provided 

ever  that  ihi-  offer  of  amnesty  Bhall  nol  es  my  person  who  fails  to  report  bythe   L5th 

of  May  next,  provided  also  thai  it  shall  no!  extend  to  any  person  who  may  have  joined  the  enemy, 
and  provided  that  i1  -hall  not  include  anj  commissioned  officer  who  may  ha- 

The  Lieut.  General  Commanding  desires  to  add  the  expression  of  the  hope,  that  this  last  op- 
portunity now  presented  for  wiping  oul  the  disg  b  attaches  to  the  characters  of  tl1 
men.  ami  must  follow  and  brand  their  posterity  alter  them,  will  be  availed  of  by  them,  and  that  he 
will  thus  be  relieved  from  the  painful  duty  of  making  examples  ol  those  who  in  contempt  of  the 
claims  of  their  country  upon  their  services,  and  in  d  fall  law  have  not  only  deserted  their 
standards,  but  by  banding  themselves  together  have  rendered  the  property  and  lives  of  peaoeahle 
citizens  insecure,  andreduced  society  to  a  condition  <  3s  and  violet 

The  offer  of_p_arj|pj  hereby  tendered  is  not  confined  to  soldiers  (rom  Mississippi,  but  is  ex.; 
tended  to  those  of  other  States  within  this  Department ;  and  if  then  Idiers   ol  other  arm 

absent  from  their  commands  within  this  Department,  who  desire  to  avail  themselves  of  an  act  ol 
amnesty,  the  Lieut.  General  Commanding  informs  them  that  upon  reporting  to  Meridian,  he  wdll 
intercede  with  their  commanders  in  tie  ir  behalf. 

B)  command  of 

LIEUT.  GEN'L  POLK. 

ThoS.  M.  Jack, 

Lieut.  Col.  and  A.  A.  Gen'l. 


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